Today is Child Health Day. This day, first proclaimed by president Calvin Cooledge in 1928, was observed on May 1st until 1960, when it was moved to the first Monday in October.

In researching around a bit, I find that the most significant health issue with our children today is being overweight.

Let's think about that.
When I was in grade school, almost no kid was overweight. We made a trip to town to shop about once every other week or so, and those trips usually included a stop at Hoferts market for an ice cream cone. Sometimes, if we had the money, we would also get a penny candy or two while there. That's it – about twice a month.
There was no such thing as “fast food” back then.

And the school bus? It made specific stops – the closest one to our house was about half way to school, so we could walk to the bus stop and ride the rest of the way, or we could ride our bikes all the way to school. I never rode the bus once in my twelve years of public education. Today, if you get behind a school bus prepare for a slow trip, because they stop at each driveway now.

School lunches? Lets look at this weeks menu for our local school: pizza, tater tots, pizza, chicken nuggets, fries, pizza, hot dog, potato chips.
So, first we remove the exercise of walking to or from school, then we feed them fried foods every day for lunch. Why are they overweight?

What other wonderful things do we do for our kids health? I just saw a special report about the public play areas, like the one at McDonalds. Germ ridden, and should be avoided! When we were kids, I could tell you what the dirt tasted like in the field, woods, and creek. We were grubby from head to foot, and developed something besides muscles from it; we developed an immune system!
So today, do something for your childrens health. Let them walk, eat healthy food and get filthy dirty. All three are good for them!

Psalm 127:3 (KJV);
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

You are correct on all fronts. Back in the late 50's and early 60's when I was growing up, I was one of the heavier kids. Looking back at pictures now I would be considered stout but not fat by any stretch. You are also correct in that one of the first "fast food" restaurants I had ever seen was called Carroll's and I was in High School when it opened.

I also believe there is a direct correlation between the type of food easily available and weight problems. Thanks again Terry for daily inspirations.

What is it with the word "adult"?
There is adultery, which no one over 21 wants to be associated with.
There is adulterated, which means polluted and impure.
As if this weren't enough, there are all those sleazy movies being made that are called "adult", or "mature", when in reality they are designed to attract only the most juvenile of customers.
Why doesn't this bother us? People get offended for ANY kind of insult, real or imagined, for being stereo-typed in any way, for ANY association wrongly made between them and something distasteful, and yet here we are as adults, not saying a thing about what is being called "adult" entertainment. All of us adults ought to be ticked off that the word "adult" has come to be used in this manner.
Let them find some other name for this garbage, something more honest.
How about "Garbage"?

The Word of God tells us that we should not follow the world:Romans 12:2 (KJV);
"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God."

And it tells us that we should grow up, and cease acting like children:1 Corinthians 13:11 (KJV);
"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

Finally, it tells us that these times we are in were foreseen and recorded two thousand years ago:2 Timothy 3:1-2 (KJV);
"This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"

I appreciate your support, guys -
And I appreciate your diligence in keeping this forum on the high road!!

For today:

I read about a four-year-old who likes to say the blessing at mealtimes, usually repeating the same short prayer: "Thank you, God, for this gracious food. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen."
One evening, however, he thanked the Lord for the birds, the trees, each of his friends, and asked God to watch over his family and help them to be good. His parents were thrilled that he was finally praying from the heart.
But after the "Amen," he took a spoonful of stew, gasped, then dropped his spoon into the bowl. "I should have said a longer prayer," he said. "My food is still too hot."

People have many reasons for praying. Some wish to be seen as righteous. Some pray only when there is a great need in their life. Jesus told a parable which explained the proper attitude of prayer in Luke 18:9-14 (KJV);
"And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

And the Word of God tells us the importance of prayer, among the other directions toward personal conduct of a Christian:1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 (KJV);
"Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings. Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

When I broke my ankle, I was highly restricted in what I could do for several months. For the first ten weeks I got so sick of sitting around the house, I was ready to scream! I wanted to go OUTSIDE! I wanted to feed the groundhogs!
Even after that, I could not mix concrete or haul gravel! I still couldn't wade in the creek and pick watercress! I completely missed the mushroom season, being unable to walk in the woods - a whole YEAR of mushrooming lost because of this injury.

This restriction was forced on me, but I can not understand people who would WISH to remain in the house! Who would choose to sit and watch TV when spring is exploding all around them? Who would stay in the house and read when they could be poking through the may-apples looking for the elusive Morel mushroom?

It gives me a new perspective on the typical parents admonition to their children to stay clean. Why do we do that? When you were a kid, were you more happy when sitting around being clean, or when you were out in the yard, the woods, or the stream, exploring this brand new world and EMERSING yourself in it?

I once read about a woman who was frustrated by how often her four-year-old son, Brian, was getting dirty playing outside. At wit's end, she finally said, "Brian, can't you play someplace where it's cleaner?"
"If God didn't want us to play in the dirt," Brian logically said, "why did he make so much of it?"
My sentiments exactly.
If we weren't supposed to play in the dirt, why did God make so much of it!

The Word of God tells us that these things that make us ‘dirty’ are the works of God, and we should rejoice in them:
Psalm 92:4-5 (KJV);
"For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep."

Your young kids, guys, will learn as much about God by digging through the mud and discovering worms as they will when they have the Bible read to them.
Make sure to set aside time for BOTH!

I read about a Christian who answered the phone, and found himself speaking to one of his eleven year old son's friends. The boy told him he was having a problem with spiritual warfare. This man asked him what he could do to help, and the boy replied he wanted to speak with his son about it. This man was bursting with pride that his son was being asked for spiritual advice! Later, he made it a point to ask his son how the conversation went.
"Oh, fine," the boy replied. "He just needed help getting to the next level of the 'Spiritual Warfare' Nintendo game."

Our spiritual battles cannot be dealt with quite so easily.
The Word of God deals with the spiritual warfare that is not produced by Nintendo:2 Corinthians 10:3 (KJV);
"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:"

All of us have someone, somewhere, that we have difficulty with. It may be a neighbor, a co-worker, our boss, or even one in our own family.

God tells us that in those skirmishes, the one we THINK we are battling with is not who we truly are battling with!Ephesians 6:12 (KJV);
"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

And we are given direction for this TRUE spiritual warfare:2 Timothy 2:1-4 (KJV);
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier."

Leviticus 16:29-30 (KJV);
“And this shall be a statute for ever unto you: that in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all, whether it be one of your own country, or a stranger that sojourneth among you: For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before the LORD.”

In the Hebrew calendar, today is tenth day of the seventh month, known as Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Even Jews that do not observe any other Jewish customs will observe this most important holiday of the year.

Today, Jews seek atonement for their sins against God. Sins against their fellow man must be atoned for by seeking reconciliation with them, righting the wrongs committed against them if possible. But those sins must be taken care of before today, for this day is ONLY for atoning for the sins against God. On this day, God's books are closed and judgment is complete for the next year.

Observant Jews will attend synagogue service starting at 8 or 9 AM today and continuing until about 3 PM this afternoon. They usually go home for an afternoon nap following this, and return at 5 or 6 this evening for services which will continue until nightfall. The Shofar is then blown in one long blast, which ends the days observances.

Besides the services, Jews have restrictions today. For a full 25 hour period, they will not work, eat or drink (even water). Some will also not bathe, wash, use cosmetics, deodorants or wear leather shoes. They will also refrain from sexual relations. As always, these restrictions do not apply to children under 9, women between the onset of labor and three days after childbirth, or anyone else that would suffer a threat to life or health by following them.

As with all Jewish days, today actually began yesterday at sundown. And Yom Kippur services started yesterday just after sundown. So, for the first time ever, we decided to attend a Jewish service. Last night Judy and I drove for two hours to get to a synagogue in Jackson, where we attended a 7 PM service that was for both Yom Kippur and Shabbat, which do not coincide often. We sat there and joined these Jewish people in smiting our chests with our fist as we asked God to forgive us our sins against Him. I looked around at these people who have been through persecution after persecution, yet with tears in their eyes they beseeched God to forgive them for any ill will they harbored in their hearts against any fellow human being. We both found tears welling up in our eyes. The presence of God at this service was almost overwhelming as we watched the reverence they showed toward the scrolls which they removed from the Ark several times during the service. We did our best to follow along in a service that was chanted, sung and spoken in both English and Hebrew. When it was dismissed, I checked my watch – I could not believe that we had been there for two hours already! Almost everyone there came up to us before or after the service and introduced themselves, welcomed us to the service, and invited us to return today for the LONG service.

Wish your Jewish friends an Easy Fast today, and that their names be written in the book of life.
And if anyone believes that God does not hear the prayers of the Jews, I encourage you to attend one of their services.
Your mind will be changed.